


LJ and Zofia Meet the Pagemaster

by PerkyGoth14



Category: The Pagemaster (1994)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 14:37:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19378726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: This movie needs more love! LJ and Zofia are bored with nothing to do on a slow June day and decide to go outside. While there, a storm hits and they take shelter to a library and meet a new friend named Richard Tyler as the librarian tells them to look beneath the books, taking them on a brand new adventure that is quite literally, one for the books. Take a look, it's in a book.





	1. Chapter 1

It was a warm June morning, but LJ and Zofia were inside, watching television.

"You know, sitting inside watching TV is getting pretty boring," said LJ. "You wanna do something else?"

"I guess we could go out for some fresh air?" Zofia suggested.

"Okay." replied LJ.

They soon turned off the TV and went to get out of the house to explore. However, they didn't notice that a rainstorm would be coming which was on the TV just before they shut it off.

"I wonder what exactly could we do while we're out here today...?" LJ said. "The problem with infinite possibilities is that it's so hard to choose."

"I dunno, I just thought we could take a stroll around until we saw a place come up that we could maybe visit." Zofia shrugged to her brother.

"Alright, works for me." LJ replied, and they both set off.

Nothing seemed to be happening for a while and they didn't seem to see anybody that they knew. It seemed to be a normal day until they heard some rumbling.

"Was that your stomach?" LJ asked.

"I was gonna ask you that..." Zofia said.

The two kids looked up, and saw that dark clouds were gradually filling the sky.

"Looks like it's gonna rain," LJ replied. "And us without umbrellas!"

"We should've checked the weather before we came out here." Zofia said sheepishly to her brother.

"No kidding," LJ replied. "Not to mention we most likely couldn't make it back to the house before we get soaked to the bone."

"I'm sorry, LJ." Zofia frowned.

"It's not your fault, Sis," replied LJ. "Let's just find somewhere to get outta the rain and wait out the storm!"

Zofia and LJ began to ran all around the best that they could until they soon found a library and went to go hide out in it, but they weren't alone. They soon all ran inside as it poured down raining like buckets of water dropped from the sky with a lightning strike behind them as soon as they came into the building.

"Whew...that was a close one..." LJ panted.

"Yeah..." Zofia added before looking over to the boy who was with them who had blonde hair and glasses. "Um...?"

"Uh, hi..." The boy said as he hadn't seen them before. "I don't think I've seen you guys before."

"Heh... We could say the same about you." Zofia replied.

"I'm LJ, and this is my sister Zofia," introduced LJ. "And you are...?"

"Oh, uh, Richard," The boy replied. "Richard Tyler."

"Nice to meet you, Richard," LJ replied. "Guess we're all stuck here until the storm clears up..."

"Yeah, I guess... I don't mind though," Richard gave a small smile. "I like the library."

"You seem like someone who would." Zofia replied, though not to tease.

The library seemed to be empty like they were the only ones there.

"Hello?!" Richard soon called out.

"At least the place has good acoustics..." LJ remarked.

They wandered around a bit until a bright light soon came on in the far corner of the room and someone was coming from the light.

An old man appeared to come on, wheeling a book cart over as he seemed to be hard at work. He soon saw that he had company which was a bit surprising for him. Eventually, the lights came on as he then approached the kids, rather curiously.

"Must be surprised not to see kids on their devices or something." Zofia said to the boys.

"In this day and age?" asked LJ. "I gotta say, I don't blame him."

The man continued to approach them as he appeared to be whimsical. "Welcome to the library, my children," he then said, shaking their hands. "Don't tell me; you're here for a special book."

The three kids looked quite curious.

"Mister-" Richard spoke up.

"Stop, stop, stop. Allow me to guess," The man replied. "I have a talent for guessing what people need. You're in need of... A fantasy. Brave knights, mythical fairies, ferocious dragons."

"Look, all I want is-" Richard replied.

"Adventure!" The man beamed which excited Zofia. "Of course. You're some kids who love adventure! Brimming with wicked demons, cut-throat pirates-"

"That sounds awesome!" Zofia beamed.

"That actually sounds exciting!" LJ added.

Richard looked a bit overwhelmed on the other hand. "No, no, that's not it."

"Horror!" The man then suggested as lightning illuminated over his face as he backed them up to the front desk for the librarian. "Horror! Evil demons! Wretched monsters! Haunted houses! Graveyards!"

"Oh, I think Mother would love that." Zofia replied.

LJ nodded in agreement.

"Yes. It's horror for you, my children," The man told them. "I'm sure of it. Your library cards, please?"

"We don't have any." Richard replied.

"You do now," The man told them, bringing out three blank cards for them. "Sign here."

LJ and Zofia quickly signed their names on their pieces of paper, though Richard was a bit hesitant to sign his. Richard glanced to the eccentric man.

"Richard Tyler," The man gave a small smile, showing the library card to the boy. "Consider this your passport to the wonderful, quite unpredictable world of books."

LJ and Zofia smiled hopefully to their new friend.

"But I don't want any books," Richard told the strange man. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. I only came in here 'cuz of the storm."

"You mean you don't need-Oh," The man replied as he soon walked off from the young boy. "I see."

"B-But we wouldn't MIND any books!" LJ called out. "Might help take our minds off the storm!"

"Yeah!" Zofia smiled. "Come on, Richard. Books are good for ya!"

"Is there a phone where I can call my parents?" Richard asked.

"Through there," The man replied, gesturing to many bookshelves with hundreds and hundreds of books that could rival the Beast's castle. "Proceed in a northeasterly direction until you get to the rotunda, and from there head west through the fiction section. And you'll find it. A public telephone. You can't miss it."

"Thank you, Mr..." Zofia said before checking the name plate as the man sat behind it. "Dewey. Huh. Like the Dewey Decimal System."

"Huh...maybe this could be interesting." LJ replied as he, Zofia and Richard went off in search for the public phone.

"I don't believe it..." Zofia beamed, sounding like Belle right now. "I've never seen so many books in all my life!"

"Can you imagine if Felicity were here to see this?" asked LJ.

"I think she would love this too, Brother." Zofia smiled.

"I know I do!" LJ replied as they both looked on at their surroundings in abject wonder.

Richard went to find the phone as they explored the thousands of books. They soon all explored before finding what looked almost like a coliseum in the far back corners of the library.

"Wooow!" The kids said in amazement, looking up to the ceiling to find fantastical murals above them depicting all sorts of storybook adventures.

They saw pictures of menacing pirates, Captain Ahab chasing after Moby Dick, and a scientist who appeared to be Dr. Jekyll with Mr. Hyde's monstrous shadow right behind him.

"Jeez..." Richard whispered to himself.

They then saw an ancient and wise wizard in the pictures before Richard yelped as he slipped from the tiny rain puddle he had tracked onto the floor before hitting his head on the hard floor.

LJ reached down to help him up. "You okay there, buddy?" he asked.

"Ugh... My head..." Richard groaned a bit groggily.

"Ooh, that looked a bit painful," Zofia said. "I think you'll be alright though."

The library suddenly seemed pitch dark and it was just the three of them.

"Whoa, who turned out the lights?" asked LJ. "The lightning must've knocked out the power."

"Hello?!" Zofia soon called out. "Mr. Dewey?!"

The only response she heard was her echo as they soon looked all around the room. They soon saw green splatters at first before they soon saw other colors such as blue and yellow. The mural above them appeared to be melting and dissolving.

"Wait...what's going on?" asked LJ, looking up. "That mural looks like it's melting right off the ceiling!"

"I don't like this." Zofia said, suddenly feeling anxious.

The paint soon leaked down and some got onto them almost like it was raining paint.

"We have to get to higher ground!" LJ exclaimed. "Or else we might drown in this paint rain!"

"Why couldn't it had been chocolate rain?" Zofia sighed slightly.

They soon ran off through the bookshelves from the paint rain. The paint seemed to form in the shape of a dragon who soon snarled and chased after them.

"I guess this is why they say Reading Rainbow!" Zofia cried out.

LJ yelped as they ran for their lives. As the paint splattered, the room around them began to change somehow.

"Help! Mister, Mister, where's the exit?!" Richard cried out as they ran, unable to find Mr. Dewey.

Everywhere they ran, there was only paint, and they were soon engulfed by the colorful mess.


	2. Chapter 2

Finally, the three children got to their feet, only to find that there was something physically different about themselves...for one, they all now looked like 2-D animated people. They all looked among themselves before looking into shock.

"We're... We're cartoons!" Richard gasped.

"You... Are illustrations." A mysterious voice told them from behind before showing himself as a grand old wizard.

"Who are YOU?" asked LJ. "And more important, can you explain what just happened to us?"

"Well, first of all, I am the Pagemaster," The wizard began. "Keeper of the books and guardian of the written word.

Richard gasped, recognizing him from the mural. "You're the guy from up there! Where are the others?" he then asked.

"Why, they're here, of course!" The Pagemaster informed. "And all around."

"Interesting." replied Zofia.

"Sounds like an adventure." LJ added.

"I have heard of you two," The Pagemaster said to the Schwartz siblings. "You have gone on many other adventures yourself."

"That's true." LJ replied.

"Uh, you can show us the way out?" Richard asked the Pagemaster.

"Follow me." The Pagemaster informed, going down one way.

"I-Is that the way?" Richard asked.

"Oh, the only way," The Pagemaster said, bringing out a paper which would then summon a giant. "Fiction, A to Z! Where all is possible! Where a child's imagination can take root and grow to incredible heights!"

"Guess we gotta journey through these stories to find the exit." LJ replied.

"You are correct, young one," The Pagemaster told him as a boat paddled overhead of them. "Also where a child's courage is a wind that moves him to discovery! And where your journey begins!"

A book cart soon sped by, picking them on it before taking them on a ride.

"Wait! Waaaait!" Zofia yelped as they were taken for a ride.

"To find your way home, you must face three tests: horror, adventure and fantasy," The Pagemaster educated before he disappeared in thin-air. "And remember this, when in doubt, look to the books!"

"Look to the books, he says..." LJ grunted as they were whisked away. "Why can't we ever get a straightforward answer?"

"Wizards..." Zofia sighed to herself.

"How do you stop this thing?!" Richard cried out.

They soon zipped down the bookshelves and soon crashed into the payphone booth, but luckily, they weren't hurt too bad.

"Due to the storm, all lines have been temporarily disconnected," The phone operator's voice said. "Please try your call again later."

Zofia then hung the phone up as she sat up with her new friend and brother.

"This is not good," Richard groaned. "Definitely not good at all."

"So it would appear, Ricky," LJ replied. "But it's a good thing you're not doing this alone!"

"Yeah... I guess..." Richard said.

They all then yelped as a sword jumped out from the book pile.

"Where's the son of a sea biscuit knocked me from me crow's nest?" A figure jumped out with a growl, appearing to be a living book with a pirate motif. "Where's he be? Where's he be? So here be the lubber who knocked me on me poop deck, and with no apologies too!"

"Erm... Uh..." Zofia backed up with LJ and Richard, a bit nervously.

The book came closer to them with a glare. "You fiction or nonfiction?" he then demanded.

"Look, man, we're as real as real can get!" LJ replied. "Except we're not books...we're people!"

"Got any proof?" The book demanded.

Richard soon took out his library card. "See? Here's my name!"

LJ and Zofia also took out their library cards.

"Oh! Library cards!" The book said, removing his eye-patch before smiling apologetically. "Oh, begging your pardon, lads and lass. I didn't know you was customers!"

"Uh, look, all I wanna do is get outta here." Richard replied.

"Of course you do, mateys! We all do," The book told them. "But this is a library, mates. Not everything's as it seems."

"You mean like Waverly Place?" Zofia rolled her eyes.

The book gave a confused glance. "I don't know any Waverly, but I do know about the waves of the ocean!" he replied.

"Sorry, couldn't help it," Zofia said to LJ. "He just made me think of Alex Russo when he said 'Everything is not what it seems'."

A flood of pages soon flew by accompanied by lightning outside.

"Look to the books... Look to the books..." A voice echoed out to them from that.

"You... You said you knew the way out?" Richard then asked the book.

"I know these waters like the back of me hook!" The book replied before he looked confused before pointing one way. "Uh... Uh... This way."

The kids glanced at each other, and went in the direction he pointed.

"We gotta get home," Richard said. "Our parents must be worried sick about us."

"Yours, definitely, but ours, probably." Zofia replied.

"What do you mean?" Richard asked.

"It's an adventure thing." LJ and Zofia told him.

Richard looked a bit confused at that, but shrugged it off.

"Well, I'm afeared I've been dry-docked in this library far longer than I'd like to remember," The book said as he walked with them. "As I sees it, you with your library cards are me tickets out of here! Is it a deal, matey?" His belt then lowered before he picked it up bashfully. "Ooh, I'm naked."

"Uh, yeah, I guess so." Richard shrugged.

"That's the spirit, lad!" The book laughed to that.

"Um... Can we get going now?" Zofia asked.

"Aye-Aye! Let's scale this mast and get our bearings!" The book told them, coming up to a ladder by the bookshelf.

"That's a ladder." Zofia told him in deadpan.

"I kind of have this thing about heights." Richard said, a bit nervously.

"Huh. I'll take care of that," The book replied, looking through various books before finding the one he needed. "Mysterious Island. Yes. Kidnapped. Ah, here we be! 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." he then took out the book, opening it up on the floor which summoned out a bunch of water.

LJ spat out a stream of seawater. "Talk about your water-logs." he remarked.

"A giant squid!" Richard yelped as a squid came out from the waters, seeming to growl at them, scaring him up the ladder.

The book soon jumped out to another bookshelf, hanging on with his hook.

"Hah!" Zofia said, jumping with him to the other side as she was the more adventurous one.

LJ timed his jump, before he leapt over to join the others. Richard looked scared about jumping on the other hand. The tentacles soon grabbed the ladder, flinging him off onto the other side of the bookshelves to be with the others.

"He made it." Zofia smiled to their new friend.

Richard looked scared as he tried to climb up, grabbing the books, but began to fall through the air.

"Oh, no!" Zofia cried out as she went to help him.

"Go for it, Sis!" LJ called...until Richard managed to stop falling a few feet from the ground, followed by muffled shouting.

The book Richard had grabbed onto had now grown fairy wings, and arms and legs.

"Whoa... That must be a Fairy Tale!" Zofia said with a wink and a smirk. "Huh? Huh?"

LJ snickered. "Good one!" he replied. "I'd high-five you if we weren't so high up!"

Richard soon let go of the book, hitting the floor which made the book gasp for air.

"What are you doing, grabbing me like that and messing up my pantyhose?" The book huffed as she soon landed and adjusted herself, a bit grumpily. "Hmph! Now I gotta straighten out my Little Mermaid underwear."

"Who... Who are you?" Richard asked the female book.

"I'm Fantasy. Oh!" The book glared before clearing her throat sheepishly to sound sweet and whimsical like a Fairy Godmother. "I'm Fantasy!~ What is this?" she then asked, seeing the fallen library cards.

"Oh, those are our library cards," replied LJ. "See, we're looking for the way out!"

"I'm a book, honey. I can read," Fantasy said, adjusting her glasses. "So, you'd like to leave then?"

"Yes, we'd like to get out of here." Zofia replied.

"I'll grant your wish, child, but you must do me one small kindness in return," Fantasy said calmly before snapping. "YOU GOTTA CHECK ME OUTTA HERE!"

"That's it?" Richard asked before taking her hand. "Okay, let's go! Do we have to click our heels or something?"

"Honey, you in the wrong story." Fantasy chuckled to that.

"Check out... Oh, as in take you to the front desk, use our library cards, and take you home with us!" LJ realized. "Okay, sounds like a plan!"

"I think I like this one the best." Zofia smiled about Fantasy.

"Hmm...yeah, same." LJ agreed.

They soon went to go with Fantasy so that they could go back home.

However, along the way, the adventure book peeked out from atop of a bookshelf. "That was a close one, lad. Lad?" he said before looking out to them. "Hold on there, Missus! The kids are with me!"

"You know that short story?" Fantasy asked them.

"I guess he would be called Adventure?" Zofia guessed.

"Honey, that's what they all say." Fantasy rolled her eyes.

"I heard that!" Adventure glared. "I'll have you know I'm a classic!"

"Mm-hmm," Fantasy replied. "A classic... Misprint."

"Why, you old sea serpent!" Adventure glared as he began to lunge out, but he began to fall through the air. "I'll rip out your pages and use them for-Oh, no!"

"Oh, no? Why oh, no?" asked LJ. "Are we lost or something?"

"He is falling!" Zofia panicked. "Fantasy, do something!"

Fantasy floated in the air until Adventure face-planted in the middle of the air as she used her wand for a second. "Oops! I forgot. My wand doesn't always work outside the fantasy section."

"I think you did that on purpose." Zofia told the flying book.

"Probably," replied LJ.

"You mean you can't wish us to the exit?" asked Richard.

"That overdue shrew's never even SEEN the exit!" retorted Adventure as he got to his feet.

"More than YOU have, shorty," snapped Fantasy. "The exit's just beyond my fantasy section. Hm."

"Then what are ye doing in these parts?" Adventure glared. "There a witches' convention around here, maybe?"

"Look, I was misshelved, but that's over, now that these kids here have come to check me out." Fantasy replied.

"My good eye, they are," Adventure glared. "They're checking me out!" he then grabbed onto Richard's arm. "Come on, boy, we're wasting time chumming off this dinghy. It's on to the exit for us!"

"If he thinks the exit's in that direction, you know it's got to be in this one!" Fantasy glared back, grabbing Richard's other amr. "Don't listen to her, mate. She's not sailing with a full crew!"

"I feel like I'm watching a divorce case for the child custody." Zofia sighed.

"Really? I thought I was the only one..." LJ replied.

Suddenly, Adventure sneezed due to Fantasy's wand dust, which left him upside down. "Fantasy...she's nothing but a bloody nightmare." he grumbled.

"Let's leave him," urged Fantasy. "He doesn't even know where we are now!"

"BILGE-WATER!" snapped Adventure. "Course I know!" he glanced over at a nearby book on a shelf. "We're in Baskerville! Have a look!"

"Baskerville?" Zofia asked. "Isn't that where Sherlock Holmes is from?"

"Huh?" Richard blinked, opening the book.

A hound dog soon barked loudly, coming out, scaring him as he dropped the book and ran.

"You sure that dog wasn't Cujo?!" Zofia yelped.

"We can discuss it later, if we LIVE long enough!" replied LJ as they ran for their lives.

"This way!" pointed Fantasy as she leapt through a shelf. Richard grabbed Zofia and Adventure and pushed them through the shelf, before he and LJ were yanked through by Adventure.

They were soon on the other side of the bookshelf, panting a bit from the dog chase. They then seemed to be in what looked like a cemetery.

"Are we still in the library?" Richard asked.

"Aye, lad. The horror section." Adventure informed.

"It looks pretty scary." Zofia commented.

"That it does. Just stay close to me and... And you got nothing to worry about." Adventure said, taking out his sword, though felt scared himself.

"Mm-hmm." remarked Fantasy, rolling her eyes as the group set off into the scary new terrain.

It soon looked as if they were walking through a cemetery, until they saw the word "EXIT" in green glowing letters.

"There it is, the exit!" LJ pointed, and so he and Richard rushed forward...until they realized that it was much further away than it looked, and below that was a creepy-looking mansion on a hilltop.

"Talk about a Thriller Night..." Zofia commented.

"Looks like the only way to reach the exit is through that there house." Adventure told the kids.

"No way I'm going in there." Richard shivered.

"It's your only chance, boy." Adventure insisted.

"It's just a house." Zofia told the boy.

"Yeah, but 70% of all accidents are household-related." Richard informed.

"You almost remind me of a younger me..." LJ replied as they approached the gates.

As they entered, Fantasy read the engraving on the pillar. "Dr. Jekyll... Mr. Hyde. Must be a duplex." she replied as she joined the others.

"Go ahead, mateys," urged Adventure as he took a few steps back. "I'm right behind ye."

"That's reassuring..." Zofia said as they climbed up the front steps.

Richard stared at the door, a bit warily.

"Well? Ring the bell." Adventure prompted.

Richard looked to a rope and soon pulled on it to ring the bell, making it chime. A new living book soon fell out from the top and landed in Richard's hands, showing a creepy looking book with mismatched eyes.

"Good catch!" Fantasy beamed to Richard.

"Here, take it." Richard said, holding the book out to her.

"Aww... Isn't he sweet?~" Fantasy cooed to the book.

"Oh, I scared you," The book pouted to LJ, Richard, and Zofia. "I'm sorry!"

"You mustn't judge a book by its cover," Fantasy advised. "Look, he's smiling!"

"I guess so...in his own way," LJ replied. "He seems alright."

"I guess you're Horror." Zofia said to the new book.

The book nodded to her, a bit nervously.

"All right, teatime's over," Adventure told the others, approaching the house. "Let's start navigating this house."

"Huh? No, wait! Don't go in there!" Horror panicked and came to stop him. "It's scary inside!"

"Ha! I ain't afeared of nothing!" Adventure scoffed.

"I'm afraid." Horror pouted.

"Of what?" The kids asked.

"Of, of..." Horror began before yelling out, then panicking, doing a scary sound, and finally a woman screaming before passing out in the middle of the floor with a lily in his hand like he was dead.

"Uh, I know how you feel." Richard said with sympathy.

"Horror always has sad endings." Horror pouted.

"I come from a world of happy endings," said Fantasy. "Maybe you could help us!"

"Yeah!" agreed LJ. "And maybe you could help us thru the house!"

"Thru the house?" asked Horror, pondering this.

"You can do it," urged Fantasy.

"...'Kay," replied Horror, extending a hand to the kids. "Friends?"

Richard hesitated as a spider crawled on Horror's arm, but he grabbed it and put it back inside his pages.

LJ shook his hand. "Friends."

"Come on!" Horror smiled to that, shaking hands back with him.

They soon walked closer to the front door before Horror soon got the door for them.


	3. Chapter 3

They all peeked inside, as the house seemed nearly empty except for a bunch of rats, a nearby chemistry set with beakers and tubs and the fireplace seemed to be lit even if no one was there.

"H-Hello?" Richard soon called out. "A-Anybody home?"

Nobody seemed to answer. Nervously, the group entered the creaky house...and the doors slammed shut behind them shortly after they entered.

"What was that?" asked Horror.

A raven screeched from overhead. "Nevermore!" it squawked as it swooped down, making Richard cover his head.

"GET ME OUTTA HERE!" he shouted, tugging at the doorknob.

The doorknob then flew off, bouncing down on the floor.

"Oh, great." Zofia sighed from that.

A strange man was soon shown, stopping the doorknob with his foot as he carried a lantern in his hand. "May I assist you in some way?" he then asked the group.

"Oh. Hello there, Mister...?" Fantasy replied.

"Doctor," The man corrected. "Dr. Jekyll."

"Well, sir, we did ring the bell." Richard said as the man then helped him up to his feet.

"It's all my fault," Horror pouted. "I was trying to help them find their way to the other side of the house."

"The other side?" Dr. Jekyll replied as he led them away by the fireplace. "My children, I derive no pleasure in telling you that you are in extreme danger."

"Danger?" asked LJ. "Whaddyou mean, Doc?"

"Even as we speak," explained Dr. Jekyll as he led the others into another room. "Lurking in this very room, waiting to strike, are forces...of evil."

Something made Horror yelp, and run off after the group in fright, "Wait for me; wait for me!"

"Poor guy." LJ commented.

Richard and Zofia began to explore the chemistry set as Dr. Jekyll showed them around. Horror looked into one beaker and grinned as he looked like a handsome man as he followed behind.

"Oh, yes. But enough of that," Dr. Jekyll said before taking out a martini glass, pouring a liquid into it before swishing it in the glass as it changed color and he added an olive inside of it. "Anyone care for a drink?" he then offered.

"I'll have a go with you, Doc." Adventure replied which then earned him the glass, about to drink it.

"Ooh!" Horror grinned.

"Stay back!" Adventure glared at him. "This is a man's drink!"

"Can I have the olive?!" Horror asked, leaning up against him.

"I don't think you wanna drink that." replied LJ.

"It doesn't seem... Lethal..." Zofia added.

"So it would appear." nodded LJ.

The drink soon spilled on the floor as it seemed to have steam hiss out from dropping.

"Now look what you've done!" Adventure glared to Horror.

The liquid then melted, burning a hole in the floor, being like acid. The others then panicked from that and Dr. Jekyll was beginning to drink the liquid himself.

"No! No, no!" Richard panicked. "Don't drink it! Don't, don't!"

Dr. Jekyll drank it anyway before he seemed to snarl and growl before he soon changed.

"Dr... Jekyll?" Fantasy called out. "Dr. J?"

"My name is... Mr. Hyde!" The man replied before he soon turned into a hideous and frightening monster.

"Time to go!" LJ yelped as he and the group made a run for it.

Mr. Hyde snarled, trying to get them until Horror ran away and jumped onto a chandelier. The others backed up onto the couch in terror as they didn't seem to have anywhere else to go. The ceiling began to break a bit and soon, the chandelier crashed down with Horror on it, landing right on the monster man's feet. Mr. Hyde stumbled backwards and fell into a crevice.

"The stairs, mateys! The stairs!" Adventure shouted, and the group made a run for it.

"Wait for me! This is no way to treat a library book..." Horror groaned, trying to get out from under the chandelier. "Sanctuary! Sanctuary-y-y!" he called out as Mr. Hyde dragged the chandelier chains down with him.

A candle soon fell as Mr. Hyde laughed as Horror seemed to be trapped.

"Honey, you got to help him!" Fantasy told the kids.

"But I... I-" Richard stammered.

"Oh!" Fantasy groaned before flying over to Horror and taking out her wand, getting a flame on it to turn it into a blow torch. "At least this wand is good for something." she then used it on the chandelier to free Horror.

Horror soon jumped out of freedom and ran with the others as teh chandelier fell through the hole. "Come on!"

"Bye-Bye, Mr. Hyde!" LJ remarked as they took off once more.

"Which way?!" asked Adventure.

"Down, definitely..." started Horror, before the downwards staircase began emitting a red glow. "UP! DEFINITELY UP!"

And so they ran up the long, winding staircase. They climbed up the stairs, carefully and swiftly, passing by various horror classics such as The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Shining. One book slid out, phasing through Richard's hand, making him yelp out. The staircase seemed to disappear before the books flew around like bats and ghostly images soon came out, moaning and groaning.

"What's going on?!" Richard gasped.

"G-G-Ghost stories!" Horror shivered.

The group all made a run for it as the ghosts swirled around them and grabbed at them, and eventually, they made it to the roof, where Fantasy barricaded the door shut.

"Now whaddo we do?" asked LJ, panting like crazy.

"Jump?" Zofia shrugged.

"Down there?" Richard asked. "I-I can't!"

Fantasy and Horror already made their ways down and Zofia began to join them.

"Come on, boy!" Adventure told Richard. "Even books have spines."

LJ gulped, bracing himself. "Now or never, Rick." he said, as they both stepped onto a precipice...which immediately broke under their weight, making them fall until they grabbed onto the stone neck of a gargoyle.

A voice seemed to say, "Reach deep within yourself, Richard...and seize the courage."

Thinking quickly, Richard and LJ grabbed onto a nearby vine, and swung to safety on the ground below. Zofia and the books then began to cheer happily for Richard and LJ. Horror appeared to be the most overjoyed.

Richard looked up to the roof and seemed amazed. "Wooow!"

Adventure looked excited as he soon took out his spyglass. "Do ya smell it? Breathe it in, mateys," he beamed to them. "Ha ha! The land of adventure!"

"Look! There's the exit!" Richard pointed out before them.

The exit sign was shown until the scenery seemed to change, showing the ocean with the sun slowly rising in the background. And so, the group made their way down the book-shaped cliffs until they got to the ocean.

"Home Sweet Home!" laughed Adventure, before seeing Horror right behind him. "There's only room for one up here!"

Horror looked a little saddened at that.

"From now on, it's nothing but smooth sailing!" exclaimed Adventure...before a wave splashed all over him, leaving him with seaweed on his pages and a starfish on his nose.

Horror thought this was wildly funny, until he accidentally pulled them both off the peak and they tumbled into a wooden boat.

"A boat!" Adventure exclaimed.

"Why, yes, it is." Zofia replied.

"Is it... Safe?" Richard asked warily.

"Safe? I wrote the book on sailin'," Adventure replied. "In fact, I AM the book on sailin'." he then stepped about before getting his peg leg stuck in a spot.

"I'm impressed." Fantasy smirked until Adventure stuck his peg leg out, splashing her a bit which made her laugh.

"We're sinking! We're going down!" Horror panicked. "Somebody do something!"

Richard soon took out a fabric to plug the hole in to keep them afloat.

"Thank you." Horror then said.

Adventure came to the bow. "Shove off, lads!" he then proclaimed before bringing out an accordion to play.

And so they rowed out to sea.

"The water looks kinda...choppy..." remarked Richard. "Maybe we should've stayed back there...where it was safe."

"I just hope I don't get sick." Zofia said a bit lowly.

Adventure continued to play his accordion for a while until he stopped and saw someone else in the water near them. "Whalin' men."

Men grunted as they were shown to be rowing with an older man on deck with them, looking out.

"It's Cap'n Ahab, it is!" Adventure pointed out.

"Another guy with a peg leg." Richard noticed.

"Mm-hmm," Fantasy smirked. "Seems to be a fashion statement around here."

"Did you see it?" Captain Ahab asked.

"See what?" Zofia asked.

"The devil of the deep," Adventure replied. "The white whale. Moby Dick!"

LJ gulped.

Ahab's eyes widened as he pointed. "THAR SHE BLOWS!" he exclaimed. "I GRIN AT THEE, THOU GRINNING WHALE!"

Fantasy gasped. "He's possessed!"

"He's insane!" yelled Horror.

"He's my kinda guy!" remarked Adventure.

Even Zofia seemed a bit chilled from Captain Ahab's reaction. The atmosphere and water seemed to turn blood red from the horrific undertone.

"Look!" Horror panicked. "It's headed straight for them!"

"Thou damned whale!" Captain Ahab glared. "Thus, I give up the spear!"

The big white whale soon shot out from the water and soon splashed down, taking Captain Ahab and his men with it, leaving a great big splash.

"So, you think I scared it?" Horror asked the others.

"Somehow I have my doubts about that." LJ replied.

"He shouldn't swim right after eating, you know," Horror suggested. "He'll get cramps."

"Where'd he go though?" Zofia wondered.

The whale soon came back up from the water as they looked out, jumping high in the air, damaging the boat a bit.

"ROW! ROW FOR YOUR LIVES!" Adventure cried out.

In the blink of an eye, Moby Dick leapt up and caught the boat in his massive jaws, splintering it and sending Richard, LJ, Zofia and their book buddies tumbling into the ocean. Luckily, Richard grabbed on to a barrel and pulled the siblings aboard a lone set of wood that had somehow wound up in the shape of a raft.

"Guys?! Where are you?!" Richard cried out.

"We're over here." LJ and Zofia told him.

Zofia then looked around. "Oh, no! Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror!"

"Where could they be?" LJ asked, looking around in the water.

A bright glow and a bunch of bubbles soon came out into the water.

"Looks like we got bigger problems!" Zofia yelped.

"Uh-oh..." gulped LJ. "Brace for impact!"

Zofia even shivered a bit, though she was braver than them as she always loved the life of adventure.

Eventually, someone came out of the water. It was Adventure!

"Adventure? Boy, am I ever glad to see you." Richard smiled as he picked up and hugged the book, then got some water off of him by shaking him all about before hugging him again.

"All right, all right!" Adventure glared from being handled like that.

"Where's Horror?" Richard then asked.

"And Fantasy?" Zofia then added.

Adventure looked to them, a bit grimly as he removed his bandanna as he looked a bit depressed now.

"Where are they?" Richard asked the book.

"I hope they didn't drown..." LJ sighed.

"I searched for 'em as much as I could, mates," Adventure frowned. "I'm afraid... I'm afraid they've gone below with Davy Jones."

"No. It can't be..." Richard said, a bit hurt and saddened before he sat on the edge, looking out to the sea, hugging his knees as he felt extremely sad now. "You guys are the only friends I've ever had."

"Horror just wanted to be happy..." LJ sighed. "And Fantasy just wanted to be checked out...they didn't deserve this awful fate. Neither of them did!"

"Oh, Brother." Zofia frowned softly, a bit sad and worried.

"I wish we could've done more for them..." LJ sighed.

Adventure looked on with a sad sigh. "She's a cruel sea, lad." he replied.

"Horror! Fantasy!" Zofia soon called out.

Richard and LJ joined her. However, as they did that, they were given some company.

"Sharks!" Richard gasped.

"We may be joining them other two sooner than you think." Adventure said, drawing out his sword.

"Great..." sighed LJ, standing up. "Well...a coward dies a thousand deaths...but a hero dies but one."

"Hey, look!" said Richard, seeing a rowboat. "HELP! OVER HERE!"

"Careful, mate," Adventure warned. "Not all sharks are in the water."

The two men kept on rowing in their own boat before seeing them.

"Get us out of here!" Zofia called out. "This way! Help!"

The men soon looked over, grabbing the kids and book, bringing them along.

"It's a good thing you guys came along," Richard smiled to their company. "We're missing two others about his size. Did you see 'em?"

The two men seemed to smirk at them somewhat.

"He's all the catch we've had today." One of the men spoke up before they both laughed.

LJ noticed the flintlock pistol on one of the men's holsters, as the skinny one blew a whistle. Another whistle was heard, as a large ship with many sails came over the horizon.

"Oh, boy." Zofia muttered as she felt nervous about this.

"I knew it!" Adventure gasped. "It's him!"

"Who?" The kids asked.

"The meanest, black-hearted pirate that ever sailed the seven seas," Adventure informed. "Long John Silver!"

The two men laughed as Adventure was about to take out his sword, but one man held out his gun, cocking it to keep him in line.

"Just set your keel down, mate," The man told the brave book. "John Silver's expecting live company."

"And us without our invitations..." LJ remarked, as they were taken aboard, and tossed onto the deck of the ship. "Jeez, there's a difference between people and potato sacks that these jerks haven't figured out..."

"At least it's not Captain Hook, right?" Richard asked them.

"I would actually prefer him over any other pirate if we had to be shanghaied." Zofia replied.

"Yeah," LJ nodded. "Never met the creep myself, but from what our cousins have said, he's a total bozo!"

"Give the word, Cap'n Silver, sir, and I'll show you the color of their insides." One pirate grinned, grabbing a hold of Richard, holding his sword to the boy's throat.

"Red! Red! They're red!" Richard cried out.

"Stow your cutlass, Tom Morgan," A voice said before showing to be the pirate captain. "I want a better look at their outsides first."

"Long John Silver!" Richard whispered in shock.

"Aye, lad, the very same," Long John Silver said before examining the two boys and one girl. "Well, seeing as how me men plucked you out of the water like a drownin' field rat, you'll be joinin' our happy family as our new cabin boys and the girl will cook our meals and do our laundry because she is a girl."

"Sexist!" Zofia complained.

"What she said!" LJ agreed. "Of course, I'm not exactly inclined to argue with someone pointing a sword at me..."

"Thanks, but...we already have families," said Richard. "We really should be getting home now."

"Oh, I think ya ARE home," chuckled Long John Silver.

"John Silver! Touch one hair on those kids' heads, and you'll be answerin' to me!" Adventure glared, drawing out his sword.

Long John Silver laughed to that. "Well, come aboard, matey! Ha ha."

One pirate then slapped the book on deck with them.

"You wouldn't happen to be going after me treasure, would you, now?" Long John Silver smirked.

"You ain't got any treasure worth goin' after!" Adventure retorted.

The other pirates mumbled about 'No treasure.'

"He's lyin'! There's plenty of treasure for all of ya!" Long John Silver glared. "Search him! Those kids, too."

One pirate grabbed Adventure by the leg and shook him, making dozens of weapons fall out of his pages.

"Hey!" LJ snapped. "Watch the hands, bucko! And keep those misbegotten mitts off our cards!"

"Haha! Good ones!" Zofia beamed from his pirate speak. "That'll come in handy for September."

"Let's see whatcha got!" Another pirate said, soon grabbing her.

"Hey! Watch those hands!" Zofia glared.

"Keep your mitts off my sister, before I bite them off myself!" LJ retorted. "And I WILL do it, too!"

"You too!" The pirate then grabbed a hold of him.

"No! Not my diary!" Zofia cried out.

One pirate picked up a tiny book that had a lock on it and he tried to whack it against the deck to open it.

LJ snatched it back, and smacked the pirate across the face with it. "Didn't your mom ever teach ya to mind your own business?" he snapped.

Another pirate rummaged through LJ's pockets until...CHOMP! He pulled his hand out to reveal a bear trap now attached to it.

"Otherwise... THAT will happen." LJ concluded.

"Why, looky here," A pirate said, handing over a dollar bill from Richard's pockets. "Here he be, Cap'n."

"What might this here be?" Long John Silver wondered.

"Money! It's yours! Keep it!" Richard cried out.

"Money, he says!" One pirate smirked.

"Keep it, he says!" The other added.

The two then laughed, dropping Richard and hugging each other.

"Hm. Library card." Long John Silver said, finding another item.

"Library card?" The parrot repeated.

"A cabin boy don't need no library card." Long John Silver smirked from that.

"I'd like to get out of here!" Adventure cried out, running over to the edge.

"And I thought he'd feel more at home over here." Zofia said as she hugged her diary once LJ gave it back to her.

"Well, even HE has standards." LJ replied.

"Land ho...!" exclaimed a pirate in the crow's nest.

Long John Silver and his men excitedly rushed over the ledge as they were coming across some land which was an island shaped like a skull, though it looked like it was made out of books. "There she be, mateys!" The captain told them. "Treasure Island!"

Eventually, they disembarked, and they began the search for the treasure...though the kids and Adventure were dragged along on a rope.


	4. Chapter 4

"Stay on your toes, mates," Adventure advised the kids. "When they go for the gold, we'll make our break."

"Quit your squawkin'!" Long John Silver glared at the book before looking to one of his men who had the map. "Look to the map. What's it say?"

"It's, uh, in the middle, by the waterfall." The man said, holding the map upside down to see the letter M.

"No, it's east by some broccoli!" Another man glared, turning it to the side which made the letter look like an E.

"Give me that!" Long John Silver glared, grabbing the map.

"Broccoli." The parrot squawked.

"You half-wits!" Long John Silver glared, turning the map right-side up to show the letter W. "It's west, by a tree!" he then muttered in annoyance. "East, by broccoli!"

"They're all idiots." The parrot remarked.

"Heh. I have to agree." Zofia said to the parrot.

"And the bird's the only one with a brain between them..." LJ remarked.

They soon crept along with the pirates who got shook up from seeing a skeleton.

"Cool!" Zofia smiled from the skeleton.

"What sort of way is that for bones to lie?" One pirate shivered.

"It ain't natural." Another added.

"This island's haunted," One pirate panicked, grabbing a hold of him in paranoia. "It's accursed, it is!"

"Oh, you're all yellow dogs," Long John Silver complained. "Open your eyes. The bones is the compass pointin' the way to the doubloons."

Eventually, the pirates spotted the treasure chest and ran to it, opening it only to discover that it was empty.

"It's gone!" One of the pirates yelped.

"Dig deeper, boys!" Long John Silver told his men, dropping the rope. "I say, dig deeper! Find the treasure!"

LJ blinked. "He dropped the rope!" he whispered. "Now we can scram!"

"Shh, let's go!" Zofia whispered back, a bit loudly with a nod.

They went to sneak off while they still had the chance.

"One gold piece," One of the men glared to Long John Silver. "This is your treasure, is it? Let's kill him and eat his parrot." he then whispered to the others.

"It looks like we're not the only ones with plans of our own..." LJ snickered. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

"I just hope we can find Horror and Fantasy." Zofia said.

"As do I." replied LJ.

The pirates began to argue with each other as LJ, Zofia, Adventure, and Richard began to sneak away without being noticed.

"Save your speeches!" snapped one pirate as he and his crew pulled guns on Long John Silver. "Dead men don't bite!"

Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice from all around. "15 men on a dead men's stomach..."

"Chest! The word is chest!" said another familiar voice.

"Could that be...?" asked LJ.

"Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum!" The first voice laughed.

"Evil spirits." One pirate whispered in terror to the others.

"Sanctuary!" The voice said before they soon all saw a familiar book who swung by on a vine, hitting one pirate, knocking him out instantly.

"Horror! You're alive!" Richard smiled once he saw who it was.

Horror smiled back, a bit bravely and proudly.

"Not for long." Another pirate smirked, holding out his gun.

"Shoot THIS!" LJ snapped, plugging the gun with both fingers, causing it to explode in the pirate's face.

Richard looked wide-eyed and jaw-dropped from that.

"Heh... My brother and I are kinda special." Zofia bashfully told the boy, closing his jaw then.

"Nice shot, hon." Fantasy said as she soon flew by, hitting a coconut which hit another pirate in his head before flying in front of them.

"Fantasy!" Zofia beamed.

"Naturally. Well, who were you expecting, honey, the Tooth Fairy?" Fantasy chuckled as she curtsied.

"Either way, the gang's all here again!" LJ exclaimed.

"Get them!" One of the pirates snapped.

"Ha ha! At last, a good fight!" Adventure laughed, drawing out his sword.

The pirates soon ran out for Richard and Adventure, cutting the rope which then sent Adventure flying into the treasure chest.

"Get me outta here!" The book muffled.

"Oh, dear." Zofia said, going to help Adventure out.

Two pirates had their backs to each other, until LJ snuck behind them and tied their hats together, then leapt in front of them and made a goofy face. The two pirates ran after him, until their hats snagged onto each other on a tree and they crashed into each other. Fantasy and Zofia soon both shot magic at one pirate.

"Oh, someone has a magic touch." Fantasy smiled to Zofia.

Zofia beamed brightly from that.

Long John Silver hobbled towards the coast. "Get the boat, boys. We're gonna be shovin' off!" he proclaimed.

"Fat chance, grease breath," LJ snapped.

"We're not goin' with you!" added Richard.

"The sword, honey," Fantasy whispered to him. "Get the sword."

"Don't even think it, boy," Long John Silver glared. "He ain't got the heart."

Richard looked hesitant, but he soon grabbed the sword and held it out, trying to muster as much bravery as he could. "Stay back!"

"Avast there, laddie," Long John Silver then said, a bit surprised, backing up a bit. "Somebody could get hurt with that blade you got thar."

The parrot soon squawked to him.

"Huh? Easy now, matey. Easy. I'm goin'," Long John Silver then said, backing up into the rowboat. "Right ye are. Into the boat, aye-aye. Ye be a hard lad, Richard Tyler. Good sailin' to ya, shipmate," he then began to row away in the ocean to never be seen again... Possibly. "15 men on a dead man's chest, Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum~" he then sang on his way out.

Richard soon dropped the sword and beamed as he felt proud of himself.

"Way to go, Ricky," LJ smiled. "We always knew we had it in ya."

"Way to go, honey." Fantasy added.

"Whew," Richard sighed happily. "Oh, I wish my dad coulda seen me. Boy, I thought you two were goners."

"We almost were, until this enchanting fellow discovered he could float." Fantasy explained, gesturing to Horror.

Horror chuckled, knocking himself against his cover. "It's hollow."

Adventure grunted as he struggled to get out of the chest.

"Who's there?" Horror asked like it was a knock-knock joke.

"Adventure!" The trapped book snapped.

"Adventure who?" Horror asked.

"WHATYA MEAN 'ADVENTURE WHO'?!" Adventure snapped. "OPEN THIS BLASTED DOOR, YA DOG-EARED-"

Horror soon opened the chest as Adventure sprung out, looking a bit more grumpy than usual.

Fantasy chuckled sarcastically from his appearance. "Perfect timing."

"We were just thanking them for saving us." said Richard.

"I could've taken the lot of 'em with 1 hand tied behind me back!" retorted Adventure.

"Just his way of saying thanks." replied Zofia as Horror spotted a discarded bandanna and cutlass and picked them up.

"YOU'RE WELCOME!" he waved cheerfully, as Adventure stormed off.

"Oh, Horror." Zofia chuckled to the book.

"You were amazing too, Zofia," Richard smiled, looking into the girl's eyes. "You were-... You were..."

Time seemed to stand still as the two looked into each other's eyes.

LJ quickly got the hint, and backed up. "I'll just...give you two some time alone." he replied.

Zofia and Richard looked away from each other, a bit bashfully then.

"Hmm... I guess this IS a fairy tale ever after all." Fantasy commented.

"Yup," LJ nodded. "Two people, falling in love with one another over time."

"So, uh, how'd you shoot that magic?" Richard asked.

"This might sound crazy, but I actually have magical powers." Zofia said to him.

"As do I!" LJ added. "How'd ya think I plugged up that gun and made it backfire?"

"Are you guys actually book characters too then?" Richard asked.

"What? No! This is real life you're talking to!" Zofia replied. "...In a fan fiction sorta way, but we're the real deal! We have special powers from our parents."

"Yup!" LJ nodded. "They're magically-trained, too!"

"Well, it was pretty amazing." Richard said to them, though he mostly seemed to be talking to Zofia when he said that.

"Hey, if anyone's got the magic in 'em, it's Zo!" LJ replied. "I'm okay, but not nearly as good as she is!"

"Who... Me...?" Zofia replied bashfully.

"SURE!" LJ beamed. "Everyone knows the older sibling is the more inclined than the younger, and you are older than me!"

Zofia grinned bashfully.

"Well, you sure are impressive." Richard smiled to his new friends.

"Oh, thank you." Zofia blushed slightly.

"No problem." replied Richard.

Zofia soon sat on the sand with him.

"Gee, Adventure and Horror have been gone for a long time." LJ spoke up.

"I hope nothing happened to them," said Fantasy. "We should go look for them."

"What if we never find the exit?" Richard pouted.

"Aw, come on, don't talk like that," Zofia said to him. "We've had so much fun against those pirates."

"Besides, we'll find the exit," LJ replied. "And we'll do it together."

"You did good, honey." Fantasy added, almost maternally.

"I lost the library card," Richard sulked. "I can't check anybody out. We'll never get to the exit now."

"Honey, never say 'never' around Fantasy, because sometimes you've got to fight to make a wish come true," Fantasy coaxed. "So come on. Don't quit on us now."

"She's right, you know." Zofia told Richard with a smile.

"Besides, we still have OUR cards!" LJ replied. "So let's go!"

"Oh, you do?" Richard asked.

LJ and Zofia then showed him their library cards.

"Huh. Clever." Richard gave a small smile.

"So at least one of us will get to check out the books," LJ replied. "Now let's go find them!"

"Yeah! Gather around, my book buddies!" Zofia added.

"Aye!" LJ nodded.

They soon went to go find Horror and Adventure to check them all out to find the exit and get back home.

"Aw, come on, they couldn't have gone that far..." Zofia said. "I think I probably see Adventure now in fact."

"Great... That's one of two found!" LJ replied. "C'mon, man, just get back here already!"

Adventure soon came up to them. "Why are you sittin' around like a bunch of ol' wenches at teatime?" he then asked.

"Excuse me?!" Zofia glared. "WE were looking for YOU!"

"Ah, details, details," Adventure replied before holding up his hands despite one being a hook. "Pick one."

Richard paused for a moment before picking the actual hand. "That one."

Adventure then opened his free hand to show something that had been missing.

"My library card!" Richard then beamed, swiping it instantly.

"Rassled it away from three sharks who was eyein' it for breakfast!" Adventure exclaimed proudly. "And no small threat to me life, neither!"

"Mm-hmm." Fantasy replied sarcastically.

"Waitaminute...where's Horror?" asked LJ. "Wasn't he with you?"

"He was, but he, uh... I mean, I sort of, uh... He, uh..." Adventure soon stammered.

"What did you say to him now?" Fantasy glared in accusatory.

"Well, I, uh... I, uh... I just, uh, uh..." Adventure replied nervously. "I'll go find him."

"Yeah, you better go find him," Fantasy rolled her eyes before making him walk off. "And be quick about it!"

"I really hope Horror wasn't scared off." Zofia said.

"That in itself, is irony right there." LJ replied.

"Heh... Yeah, I caught it once I said it." Zofia replied weakly.

The two siblings had a good laugh at that.

"You two are pretty close, huh?" Richard asked the Schwartz siblings.

"Yeah, we're kinda each other's own best friend at times." Zofia replied.

"Mostly cuz we don't have that many friends...other than our cousins," LJ added. "This is, what, our seventh adventure?"

"Uh, it might be, I think I wrote in my diary..." Zofia said, taking out her private book to to take a look, but didn't let anyone else see. "Somewhere around there."

"I guess that's why you guys are braver than I am." Richard frowned at first.

"Oh, I wasn't always brave as I am now," LJ replied. "Why, in fact, I used to be terrified of lots of things! And all because I was almost eaten by a shark when I was a baby!"

"Heh, I can't really hold that against you for that, even if I was always hungry for adventure." Zofia said.

"I'm sorry, did you just say you were almost eaten by a shark?!" Richard asked, a bit surprised and overwhelmed.

"Oh, yeah." LJ replied. "Scariest moment of my life! That moment alone turned me into a craven coward; while Zo's hunger for adventure increased as she grew, I was more cautious and fretful, which interfered with her love of adventure. Being the older sibling, she assumed I was just being a 'wet blanket' for no reason."

"I'm really sorry about that." Zofia gave a small pout as that made her feel like a jerk looking back on it now.

"And like I said for the 12-hundredth time, I forgive you." replied LJ, rolling his eyes.

"Sorry... Sorry for apologizing so much." Zofia said bashfully.

Richard gave a small laugh from that.

"And I forgive you, yet again." LJ smirked.

"I just hope our next adventure in this book world is a little more... Easy, I guess?" Zofia said. "It's been pretty gripping so far, even for me."

"Yeah, same," nodded LJ. "Hopefully, the worst of it is behind us."

"At least we agree on something." Zofia beamed.

Fantasy soon heard something and went to fly towards the source of the sound.

LJ glanced over. "Eh, what's that?" he asked.

Fantasy gestured for them to come along. The others then followed after her to see what was going on. They soon found Adventure who found Horror, though the pirate book seemed to be a bit emotional.

"Speak to me, mate," Adventure told Horror. "Ye had a good heart, and ye was braver than ye knew. I-I'd walk the plank if I thought it would bring ye back."

Horror smiled. "Aw...that's beautiful." he replied.

Fantasy smirked. "This is too cute." she remarked.

Upon realizing they were there, Adventure quickly dropped Horror and turned to face his comrades.

"Are you okay?" asked LJ.

"Thanks to my friend here!" Horror replied, as he hugged Adventure.

"Get OFF me!" he grunted, trying to pry the book off of him.

Suddenly, there was a magical spark.

"Did you see that?!" Fantasy asked them.

"See what?" The kids asked.

"My wand! It's blinkin'!" Fantasy beamed. "That can only mean one thing."

"The exit!" Richard smiled.

"The checkout!" Adventure added.

"A happy ending." Horror smiled.

They all then went to get going so that they could leave Treasure Island at long last.

"Let's go!" Fantasy told them. "Come on!"

They soon kept following after Fantasy, but it took a bit of a while longer than they thought.

"Are you sure that swizzle stick of yours is workin' right?" Adventure huffed.

"Hmm... I don't know. Maybe we should test it." Fantasy smirked and soon hit him with her wand.

Adventure suddenly began to float into the air as he was now decked out in the garb of a fairy tale princess. "YOU'VE GONE OVERBOARD, MISSUS!" he exclaimed, shaking off the disguise with his cutlass. And then he fell to the ground.

LJ and Zofia snickered as they continued walking. Fantasy kept leading the way as she held onto her magic wand.


	5. Chapter 5

The group soon approached a high precipice, where they saw a person flying overhead atop a large bird.

"Hey...that's Mother Goose!" Richard exclaimed.

"What's up, girl?" called Fantasy.

"A goose lady?!" LJ and Zofia asked.

"No, no, Mother Goose," Fantasy told them. "You must've heard of that sad and evil Urban Legend of the Goose Lady who forces kids to listen to her stories and avoid their chores and schoolwork or somethin'."

LJ and Zofia shuddered at that. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Ah, don't worry, Mother Goose would never do that." Fantasy smiled to them.

"Well, glad to hear it!" LJ replied.

The sky then got dark and they saw bright specks in the dark sky.

"Ooh..." Zofia and LJ smiled from that.

"Hello, my little baby. Hi!~" Fantasy cooed from the bright specks which seemed like fireflies.

Richard caught one in his hands, and when he uncupped them, the small speck resembled a tiny fairy made of electrical energy, dancing around in his palms.

"Ooh..." LJ and Zofia both gasped and oohed once they saw what he caught.

A few others soon joined in Richard's hands as they all began to dance something like their own ballet. The area became light again as they all laughed, having a good time as they explored the adventurous land.

"This must be Fantasy's world." Zofia guessed.

"That makes sense...it's so WONDROUS!" LJ exclaimed, his eyes sparkling.

Richard's glasses seemed to fly around before knocking against Humpty Dumpty, making him have his infamous great fall against the great big wall.

"Hey, look! Follow the yellow brick road!" Zofia giggled once she saw what they were walking on.

Suddenly, they felt rumbling from all around.

"EARTHQUAKE...!" shouted Richard.

"This can't be good!" Zofia said nervously.

A pair of eyes seemed to open right behind them before they looked to see it in horror.

"Heh... I guess someone's hungry." Zofia smiled sheepishly.

The three books leapt off just in time to see that the mountain they were on was actually the stony body of a monstrous flame-spewing dragon!

Richard, LJ and Zofia clung tightly to the dragon's nose-horn as it tried to shake them off.

Fantasy opened her pages. "Quick, turn to page 1,001!" she told Horror, who complied. "Arabian Nights?" he asked.

"Yup!" replied Fantasy.

Horror pulled the page out, and Fantasy zapped it into a flying carpet.

"Get the kids!" Fantasy said, and the carpet took off in a blur.

The dragon soon flung the three kids away, making them fly through the air until a flying carpet soon flew out to catch them while in flight.

"That was too close." Zofia sighed.

The dragon soon breathed fire as the carpet began to fly them out to safety away from the dragon.

"Oh! Look out, Adventure!" LJ and Zofia warned.

The kids were sent flying by the sudden stop, but got back on board, before letting their book friends on as well.

"C'mon! The exit is up there!" said Richard, and they flew off...but the dragon was right behind them, and it blew fire and burned the forest to dust.

"Oh..." Zofia frowned from that little mishap.

"C'mon, we gotta outfly that lizard, tout de suite!" LJ replied as the carpet kept on going.

"Yeah! Come on, Richie!" Zofia then added.

Richard soon rushed over with Horror, Fantasy, and Adventure and the carpet took off like a rocket to make it to the exit in time.

"We're gonna make it!" LJ exclaimed.

"Hooray!" Horror cheered. "We're gonna make it!" But as he raised his arms in triumph, he accidentally knocked Fantasy's wand out of her hand. It fell towards the dragon, who swallowed it in one bite.

"Oh, baby... I wish that hadn't happened." sighed Fantasy.

"Same here." Zofia agreed with the female book.

The dragon snarled, flying up right behind them before taking a big deep breath before breathing out more fire against them. The fire hit the others on the carpet and they were soon sent shooting down from the air.

"Mayday! Mayday! We're going down!" Zofia yelped.

"Brace for impact!" LJ exclaimed, putting on an army helmet. "This is gonna hurt!"

Everyone yelped as they soon flew against the book building and slid through the floor on the carpet before crashing into a few books which were rather large than normal books.

"Huh... We made it..." Zofia said in surprise. "Oh, well, at least we survived. Heh."

"Come on, guys!" Richard called out. "The exit!"

The books groaned as the kids made their way up the book-steps, while the dragon circled the mountain and flew back down, nearly roasting the books alive as they scrambled to hide from the beast.

"Okay, I may be a big fan of adventure, but this is ridiculous!" Zofia commented.

"We're almost there!" Richard reassured her.

They continued to climb up before glancing over to see the skeletal remains of a knight in shining armor who had failed against the dragon.

LJ gulped, but kept right on climbing with the others. "Almost...there...!" he grunted. Finally, the kids had reached the very top.

"We made it!" Richard cheered, until he, LJ and Zofia turned around, not seeing their book buddies behind them. "...Guys?"

"Where'd they go?" Zofia frowned.

Luckily, Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror weren't hurt, but they were seen hiding away from the dragon. They backed up against the wall as a foom of flames shot out toward them, missing them luckily.

"This dragon is history!" Adventure glared, drawing out his sword.

Fantasy came up to him.

"Don't try to stop me!" Adventure told her.

Fantasy backed up a bit, though she looked actually concerned for him for once. "Be careful." she then told him gently.

Adventure's gruff expression softened, and he knelt down and took her hand.

Fantasy giggled at that. "You really ARE a classic." she smiled.

Adventure then turned her forward, leaned in, and kissed her deeply. Horror covered his eyes, chuckling to himself.

"How would you like to curl up with a good book?" Adventure smirked hopefully.

Fantasy soon smacked him out of the way, ruining their little 'love story'.

"Oh, me binding!" Adventure groaned.

"In your dreams!" Fantasy glared as she went back to hide with Horror.

"Adventure, up here!" Richard soon called out.

"Go on, kids! Save yourselves!" Adventure called back to him, LJ, and Zofia, unaware that the dragon was flying up right behind him. "You think a bag of hot air is enough to stop me? Dragon? He's more like a dragonfly, he is!"

"Look out!" Zofia warned.

The dragon soon took a breath, making Adventure turn around and soon gasped in terror before the dragon soon breathed flames out onto him, nearly burning him to a crisp as he came back out to Fantasy and Horror.

"Oh.. Uh... Happy Birthday!" Horror said before blowing out the flame on Adventure's mustache like a candle.

Adventure fell over, as the dragon reared back, getting ready to blow more flames.

Richard glanced at the exit, then back to the dragon. Then, steeling himself inside, he knew what to do. "Hang on, guys; we're coming!" he shouted, as he, LJ and Zofia raced to the rescue, before stopping near the knight. "A sword..." He took the helmet off the skeleton as the skull crumbled, LJ took the shield, and Zofia took the sword.

"Who says a knight can't be a girl?" Zofia replied. "Answer: ask me or Nella the Princess Knight!"

"Nella the Princess Knight?" Richard wondered.

"I'll explain later!" Zofia smirked. "But for right now, we're all going to be knights in shining armor and slay that rotten beast!"

"Yea, verily!" LJ exclaimed, raising the shield as they raced underneath the dragon.

"That's it, young ones!" laughed Adventure. "Go for the gizzard!"

"Bite 'im, bite 'im!" shouted Horror, gnawing on a rock and barking like a dog.

The dragon reared up and blasted fire, but LJ held up the shield, and it protected them.

"Watch out for his tail!" called Fantasy.

The dragon soon wrapped up the three kids by its tail which made Fantasy scream for them.

"Oh, hello." Zofia grinned sheepishly to the dragon.

The dragon glared to them and Richard soon did his best to stay brave. "I'm not scared of you!" he soon told the dragon as bravely as he could.

The dragon soon threw them out from its tail before chomping down to eat them all at once. The three kids slid down the dragon's throat, until they landed on a landmass inside his stomach, which was full of fire and stomach acid.

"We gotta get outta here..." said Richard, as he began climbing, but the walls were too slippery to grip, so he slid back down, landing on top of something on the way down. "Fantasy's wand..." he exclaimed, pulling it out from under himself. He waved it a few times, but nothing happened.

"This is not good..." LJ remarked. "Definitely not good at all."

"I don't wanna be digested!" Zofia cried out.

"Well, stay away from the stomach acid." LJ told his sister, pulling her up on the ledge with them.

"Look to the books..." A familiar voice told them. "Look to the books... Look to the books...

"Look to the books!" Richard realized, seeing many books around them before picking one up and opening it. "Alice in Wonderland."

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!" The Queen of Hearts snapped from inside of the book once it was opened.

"Sheesh!" Richard yelped, shutting the book and looking around the book with the Schwartz siblings.

"How about this one?" Zofia suggested, showing one book she found. "Jack and the Beanstalk."

"A bit unconventional...but we're not quite flush with options..." LJ shrugged, opening the book and flipping through it.

The book began to quake, before he set it down. Suddenly, a leafy, green beanstalk emerged from the pages and began growing up through the dragon's throat. LJ, Zofia, and Richard grabbed on, as it was their only way out.

"I...hate...HEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHTTTTS...!" shouted Richard as they went further and further upward.

"Mateys!" Adventure beamed.

"They're alive!" Fantasy added.

"Come on, guys!" Zofia told the books as the beanstalk carried them up.

The dragon snarled and began to gnaw at the beanstalk to make them fall and eat them again.

Zofia held onto Adventure and Horror before they soon began to topple over and soon landed near the exit on the floor while Fantasy flew up to join them.

"Are you all right?" Fantasy asked.

"Kids, you saved us!" Horror beamed.

"That ya did, mateys." Adventure added.

"Also, Fantasy, I think this belongs to you." LJ smiled, handing the female book her magic wand back.

"Baby, you're the greatest," Fantasy smiled from that before kissing his cheek in thanks. "Mm-wah!"

"Aw, shucks," LJ beamed. "It was nuthin'!"

And so, they approached the exit doors, which seemed to open by themselves.

"Is this it?" Zofia asked. "Are we finally going home?"

"Only one way to find out." Richard said as they soon walked inside together.

They soon walked into the room together to see the grand wizard there waiting for them.


	6. Chapter 6

"Who's there?" Richard asked.

"The Pagemaster." The books gasped before bowing and curtsying.

"Hey! How'd you get here?" Richard glared at the whimsical old man.

"Quit it!" Fantasy said through her teeth. "We're in the presence of the Pagemaster."

"We know who he is!" Zofia replied. "He's the guy who did all this to us!"

"Yeah! Do you have any idea what we've been through?" LJ then added.

"Tell me," replied The Pagemaster.

"We were almost ripped to shreds by a crazy doctor," explained LJ. "Then enslaved by a bunch of mangy pirates, as well as eaten, got that?, eaten by a fire-breathing dragon!"

Horror clutched LJ's leg. "He don't mean it, Pagemaster; he don't mean it!"

"Not to mention, being tossed, squashed, and scared practically to death!" added Zofia.

The Pagemaster nodded. "And yet, you three stand here before me." he replied.

Richard, LJ, and Zofia glared before cooling down from that. "Well, yeah..." They then said.

"Think, children!" The Pagemaster told them. "What kind of an adventure would you have had if I'd brought you here with the turn of a page?"

Eventually, they were surrounded by different images from their misadventures in the book world.

"You prevailed over evil." Dr. Jekyll chuckled.

"Ah, you looked Moby Dick in the eye, children." Captain Ahab replied.

"Ah, you had pirates tough, me kiddies, and don't no one speak any different." Long John Silver remarked.

"If I had brought you here from the start, you never would have found the courage to face your own fears." The Pagemaster told them all, whimsically.

"And in doing so, you triumphed here...and always." he added, as he showed them an image of their prone forms in the library.

"Hey...that's US!" LJ exclaimed.

"That WAS you." clarified the Pagemaster.

"If you don't mind, we're ready to go now." said Richard.

"Yeah, I've had enough adventure for one day." Zofia said.

"I don't think I've heard you say that in quite sometime." LJ chuckled to his sister.

"Well, after today, I can finally say that again." Zofia replied before hugging Horror. "As in, we're ALL ready."

"Yeah." LJ smiled softly.

"Let's ALL go home." Richard said, including their book buddies.

"The world awaits," The Pagemaster said as he began to make them all float. "Godspeed to you, children!"

The group all floated into a swirling vortex, and the kids were sent flying back into their physical bodies. Three books soon fell with them with dust puffing out from the covers, along with their library cards.

The trio of kids soon woke up and looked up to the mural in front of them as everything seemed to be back to normal.

"You took quite a spill, young ones." Mr. Dewey said as he came to see them.

"Huh?" Richard blinked before coming to with his new friends.

"Are you all right?" Mr. Dewey asked them.

The three kids slowly got to their feet. Richard spotted the sign labeled "EXIT", and ran towards it.

"Careful, you'll slip again!" called Mr. Dewey.

Just then, Richard realized he'd forgotten something, and went back over to them. LJ and Zofia looked to each other and came out beside Richard. Mr. Dewey began to pick up the books off of the floor.

"Wait! Uh, I forgot something," Richard said, taking the three books and holding out his library card. "Here."

"I'm afraid you can only check out two." Mr. Dewey replied as he took the extra book.

"Horror? But I promised him." Richard frowned.

"You promised whom?" Mr. Dewey wondered.

"Look, I need-Just this once?" Richard replied.

"Shh~..." Mr. Dewey shushed before bringing the book back. "I have a talent for guessing what people need. Just this once."

"Well, alrighty then," LJ smiled. "We'll see you around!"

And so Richard got his books and he, LJ and Zofia headed to the exit. Mr. Dewey looked on with a warm smile.

As they left the library, it was still a little dark and cloudy, but the storm had let up, allowing them to safely return home.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Richard said to the Schwartz siblings as he came to his bicycle.

"Not goodbye," replied LJ. "More like...see you around."

"You think so?" Richard asked curiously.

"You don't know what the future might hold." Zofia shrugged softly.

"Besides, it's quite uncertain, and much can happen," LJ replied. "But that's what makes it interesting."

"Hmm... Well, I guess that's true... I had a lot of fun with you guys." Richard said to them.

"Well, we had fun too, Richard." Zofia replied.

"It was really nice meeting you too." Richard said.

"Yeah, same here," LJ smiled. "Let's just hope we can meet again real soon."

"That would be nice." Zofia added, with a small blush.

"Yeah..." Richard replied, blushing back a little. "I guess you guys better get home too."

"Yeah." LJ and Zofia agreed.

And so, they began to separate from each other as Richard looked to an obstacle and decided to pursue after it as he was stronger as a person and braver as well after his new adventure with his new friends.

"Y'know something?" asked LJ. "I think Richard's gonna be just fine from now on."

"I think you might be right," Zofia said. "Adventure can really change a person."

"Yup," LJ nodded. "Just look what it's done for us!"

They soon went to go back home.

"I couldn't find them in town!" Lionel said to Cherry.

"I couldn't find them in The Other Realm!" Cherry replied, coming out of the linen closet.

"Crap...whaddo we do now?!" asked Lionel. "Our kids have gone missing, and we have no idea where they are!"

"PANIC!" Cherry yelped.

"As if that's gonna accomplish ANYTHING!" Lionel retorted, as the door creaked open.

LJ and Zofia came inside, and put their wet shoes on the nearby carpet.

Cherry peeked over a bit before running to the kids and hugging them both tightly. "Where were you?!" she then asked. "We were worried sick!"

Zofia and LJ grunted and struggled, both turning bright purple in her grip with their legs flailing.

"Oh, you kids, you can't just wander off like that." Cherry continued.

"We went for a walk," replied LJ. "But then it started raining, so we went to the library to wait it out."

Cherry soon let them go. "You went to the library?" she then asked. "Why didn't you call?"

"Believe me, Mother, we had a long journey just to find the exit." Zofia replied.

"Yeah," LJ agreed. "We got sucked into one huge adventure!"

"Hmm... I guess this library was more than just a library... Sounds like someplace Mr. Magorium or Willy Wonka would've liked." Cherry chuckled.

"Yeah, it DID give off that vibe." LJ replied.

"Well, we're glad you're safe... You're not hurt, right?" Cherry asked.

"Of course not," Zofia replied. "We're just glad to be home, and that adventure was truly a learning experience."

LJ nodded in agreement. "But for what it's worth... I think we're both adventure'd out for the rest of the day." he replied.

"Yeah, I can get that," Cherry said in a different voice for a vague inside joke. "I'll get us some snacks."

"You sounded like Linda Fletcher." Lionel chuckled.

"No, I didn't!" Cherry rolled her eyes, though smirked.

"You're right," replied Lionel. "Your voice sounded a lot like Hilda's!"

"No, I-Okay, fine, maybe." Cherry smirked a bit.

Lionel playfully tussled Cherry's hair as she left. Cherry went to get some snacks for the kids like a true traditional mother. LJ and Zofia dragged themselves back to the couch, and sat down. Zofia soon reached for the remote and clicked on the TV, a bit wearily due to the exhausting adventure. LJ let out a small yawn, but not due to boredom, instead out of being tired.

"Yeah, I'm a bit wiped out too." Zofia had to agree.

"I think I'm just gonna...lie here and nap for a little while." LJ replied.

"Probably me too... We've had an exhausting adventure." Zofia had to agree.

"No denying that." LJ nodded...or at least struggled to nod.

Zofia kept flipping through the TV channels until the two of them soon fell fast asleep.

"Guess you've earned that rest, kiddos." Lionel smiled as he sat down by them.

"Sure looks like it to me." Cherry added as she came by, giving the kids a blanket.

Lionel patted them on the heads.

"Maybe I'll make a special treat later." Cherry suggested.

"Good idea." Lionel replied.

"You in the mood for some fruit?" Cherry asked him.

Lionel nodded. "Okay!"

"Then I know what to make." Cherry said, going to the kitchen.

"Primo!" Lionel replied.

Cherry began to bake up a treat that her mother usually prepared around the winter holidays, and occasionally in the summer too which was known as Fruit Tart.

Lionel kept the kids company on the couch.

"I'm just glad that they aren't hurt." Cherry said with a small yawn as worrying kind of exhausted her.

"Me too," replied Lionel. "But I wish they at least had their umbrellas."

"Let's just hope they didn't get sick." Cherry replied.

"Them? No way!" Lionel replied.

"Yeah, I guess that was my mother talking." Cherry smirked.

"Speaking of which," replied Lionel. "I wonder why we never really took the kids to meet your mom and dad?"

Cherry had a bit of a grave look on her face, though she looked away, mysteriously. "It's... Complicated..." she then said, a bit softly.

Lionel looked confused. "How so?" he asked. "Did you guys have a falling-out?"

Cherry let out a sharp sigh. "I'm not sure if I can even talk about it."

Lionel sighed. "Fine...you don't have to tell me."

Cherry glanced to him as she felt guilty about not telling him, though she felt worse about what happened between her and her parents that she could never really tell anybody about it.

Though Lionel had relented, he WAS still curious about what happened to Cherry's mom and dad. "Well...could we at least visit your siblings?" he asked. "I think the kids would be glad to know that they actually have relatives on at least ONE side of the family."

"I suppose that's true..." Cherry said softly. "I feel like I haven't seen KB since she was at our wedding."

Lionel nodded at that.

"I wonder if she still likes Elmo?" Cherry smirked jokingly.

"Maybe a little," replied Lionel. "Though she might be a few years older."

"Heh... Yeah, I know..." Cherry chuckled. "She's a good kid... Most of the time."

Lionel agreed. Cherry soon went back to baking as she had a lot on her mind right now. And Lionel stayed with LJ and Zofia as they slept on the couch.

"Maybe he IS right... Maybe I should let the kids meet the family..." Cherry said to herself. "Oh, I don't know what to do sometimes." Though she would have ample time to think it over.

About an hour and a half later...

"Fruit Tart's on!" Cherry soon announced.

LJ and Zofia yawned as they woke up.

"Fruit tarts, eh...?" asked LJ. "All right...!"

"Very sweet and very good for you." Cherry said.

"Thank you, Mother." Zofia beamed.

"Yeah, thanks, Mom!" LJ agreed as he and Zofia came into the kitchen.

Cherry cracked a small smile as she cut up the fruit tart pieces to give to them. And so LJ and Zofia ate their fruit tarts, enjoying them thoroughly. Cherry cracked a small smile to them as she put away the tools she used to bake the fruit tart pieces and then came to join them afterward. And so they all sat back on the couch, watching TV as another of LJ and Zofia's adventures had come to a close. Cherry smiled as she soon looked and felt inspired somehow to write up for her Wiz Kids' adventure book series, but that would probably be another story for another day. But until now, that is... The End


End file.
